Major NSW highway closed after ‘serious’ structural failures
Imagine your main road link closing overnight, which is what has just happened to one major highway connecting an Australian capital to an entire region – how did it happen and what’s next?
READING LEVEL: GREEN
What caused an entire major highway to be shut down – and what happens now? Australians in one state are about to find out, with the news that the Great Western Highway of New South Wales will remain closed for a minimum of three months.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The NSW government described the situation as “incredibly serious” after authorities found major structural issues.
To help communities that have lost their main road link between Sydney and the state’s Central West*, the government said extra trains, buses and coach services would be put in place.
Regional Roads and Transport Minister Jenny Aitchison said the damage was substantial and warned motorists not to expect a quick fix.
“This is not a short-term repair job,” she said. “I understand that this is difficult news, but people deserve honesty and they deserve clarity*.”
HOW WERE THE ISSUES DISCOVERED?
The problems were first identified on March 5, when Transport for NSW workers noticed cracking on Mitchell’s Causeway, commonly known as the Convict Bridge, and closed the eastbound lanes as a precaution*.
Engineers* spent last weekend monitoring the structure. By early Monday morning, further cracking and movement had been detected in the bridge, which dates back to the 1830s, prompting authorities to shut the highway entirely.
“We are dealing with a major geotechnical* failure on a fragile and historic section of road and it must be assessed and repaired properly,” Ms Aitchison said.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Speaking on radio station 2GB, Ms Aitchison said an investigation would run for two weeks to determine the next move to repair the busy main road.
Ms Aitchison also said she couldn’t rule out reopening the road, but said the government was determined to do whatever it could to reconnect the areas hit hardest by issues caused by the Mitchell’s Causeway shutdown.
“We’ve got those scientists and engineers in there doing that monitoring to make sure they can understand what the cause of it is,” Ms Aitchison said.
“And really, until that final assessment comes through from them, we can’t rule anything in or out.
“What I am very clear on is that we will do everything possible to restore that connection. I know how important that is for local businesses.
“I used to be a tourism operator. I understand how, even having lived on the Great Dividing Range myself further north, when disruptions like this occur, they really impact on businesses.”
The Roads Minister also confirmed that tow trucks would be placed along alternate routes, such as Bells Line of Road, and the Darling Causeway, due to fears that trucks and other vehicles may not be able to make it up the steep inclines.
IS THERE A LONG-TERM ALTERNATIVE?
Former Deputy Premier and Regional Minister Paul Toole has blamed the NSW government for scrapping plans for a tunnel bypass under the Blue Mountains that he said would have avoided the ageing bridge.
“The tunnel would have bypassed this convict bridge, which is one of the oldest in the country, and now we have no plan to future-proof the link between metropolitan Sydney and the Central West,” Mr Toole told The Saturday Telegraph.
“This government gave back $2 billion in federal cash for the tunnel’s planning, and while it wouldn’t have been built by now, at least it was preparing for a better connection than we have right now.”
The Nationals MP said the former Federal Coalition government had allocated $2 billion to plan the tunnel project.
“But Chris Minns paused the planning, gave back that cash, and the $2.5 billion allocated by the state was also repurposed,” he said.
“This bridge was a ticking time bomb, and now it is closed, which could be for at least three months.”
Mr Toole warned the closure could have serious consequences for businesses in towns across the region.
“That is a major transport disruption and long detours for anybody using Bells Line of Road, which is also not equipped for this level of use, going from 2500 vehicles a day to 15,000.”
He has also called on the state government to provide disaster support funding for businesses in Lithgow, Hartley and other communities across the Central West affected by the prolonged* closure.
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GLOSSARY
- Central West: west of Sydney, the region stretches from Lithgow in the east to Lake Cargelligo in the west. Some of the other major towns include Bathurst, Orange, Mudgee, Parkes and Cowra
- clarity: clearness, being easy to understand
- precaution: action taken to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous from happening
- engineers: professionals whose job is to design or build machines, engines or electrical equipment, or things such as roads, railways or bridges, using scientific principles
- geotechnical: relating to the type of civil engineering concerned with rocks and soil
- prolonged: lasting a long time
EXTRA READING
Hidden homes under the highway
Freeway billy goat becomes a star
QUICK QUIZ
- What is the Mitchell’s Causeway commonly known as?
- When was it built?
- What is the estimated anticipated change in vehicle numbers along the Bells Line of Road alternative route during the closure, according to Mr Toole?
- The scrapped tunnel bypass project would have been built under which famous NSW mountain range?
- Why will tow trucks have to be placed along alternative routes during the closure?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Thinking about the impact
For those unaffected by the road closure, it can be difficult to understand the full impact of this problem. Put yourself in the shoes of those impacted by drawing a rough map of your local area. Sketch in the location of at least 3 places that you regularly travel to, such as your school, a family member’s home, the location of your sports or hobbies, your local shops, etc.
Now imagine that the roads to take you to and from these places are unexpectedly closed for the next 3 months. To get to these places you will need to travel the long, long way that will be busy, more difficult, take longer and cost significantly more for fuel.
Write to explain how this would impact your life and how you would be feeling about the situation.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Mathematics, Geography
2. Extension
Research to find out more about the construction of Mitchell’s Causeway and create an A3 poster to inform others about the “convict bridge”.
Time: allow 45+ minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History
VCOP ACTIVITY
BAB it!
Show you have read and understood the article by writing three sentences using the connectives “because’’, “and”, and “but” (BAB). Your sentences can share different facts or opinions, or the same ones but written about in different ways.